Talking About Stuff, with Mike and Christiana

John Varley is one of my all time favorite writers. If you've never heard of him, he writes science fiction. His book, Steel Beach, has got to be one of my top 5 favorite books. His short story, "The Persistence of Vision" has the number one spot locked up, and has since I read it about eight years ago. His writing contains interesting, sophisticated, well-developed characters, real emotions, cool imagery, exciting concepts, and analysis of how real (but unique) people would act in extraordinary circumstances. That, plus the fact that most of his characters view the amazing technology around them with about as much wonder as we would devote to a microwave oven. It just gives the whole thing an emotional legitimacy that I don't see very often. He's got a wonderful short-story collection out right now, The John Varley Reader. It's got my favorite in there, as well as a number of other wonderful stories. Check it out.

But the reason I bring him up just now, is that he's also a huge movie buff. As a fellow movie buff, I was delighted to no end when I saw that he had posted a list of his Top 25 movies on his site. He's got fabulous taste in film, and he knows that there were good movies made before 1994. Before 1977 even! I haven't seen all the movies on his list, (I'll bet good money you haven't either,) but all of the ones I have seen are excellent. The ones I haven't, I plan to. Check out his list and take it with you next time you head to the video store. They do have movies that aren't in the New Release section after all.